


Between Dragons

by PreciousRoy



Category: Bakuten Shoot Beyblade, Beyblade
Genre: Abandonment, Family, Family Issues, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:15:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 15,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28165356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PreciousRoy/pseuds/PreciousRoy
Summary: A three part story dropping in on one significant New Year for each generation of the Hiwatari men, spanning from one Year of the Dragon to another. (Soichiro/Voltaire, Susumu, Kai)(Holiday fic. Based on manga, not anime.)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Soichiro

Part One - Soichiro

December 31st, 1963.

If there was one sound Soichiro hated, it was that blasted shrill ring of a telephone.  
Went through his ear drums like forks on china for one thing.  
Another reason was that if it was for him, it was likely to be a call fro-  
“Mr. Hiwatari, sir? The Chairman would like to see you right away.”  
...Well how about that...

Holding in the sigh, he lifted his head and nodded with a small smile.  
She was only the messenger after all.  
“Thank you Miss Inoue, I'll head up there right now.” he replied as he rose from his seat, “I'm finished here for the evening, so please, take yourself home. No doubt you'll be busy from now preparing for the festivities...”  
A pretty smile bowed back with gratitude.  
“Thank you. I will be indeed...Happy New Year, sir.”  
“And you, Miss Inoue...”

As the door closed behind her, he shook his head.  
What a tedious task, preparing the New Years feasts.  
He'd overheard her talking with another secretary. Countless hours locked in the kitchen.

Luckily for his dear mother and new bride, they had the help for that.  
Though if he had to be quite honest, the traditional Osechi was hardly to his palette.  
Black beans, herring roe, chestnut paste...little pieces of this and that.  
He could think of far better dishes he'd rather eat to celebrate the dawn of a New Year.

But it was tradition.  
And that was binding in his household.  
Black beans for health, the roe to bless your family with many children, the chestnuts yellow like gold to bring wealth and prosperity.  
...Perhaps roast beef wouldn't have the same impact on their fortunes.  
His thought finished simultaneously with clearing his desk and suddenly the countless hours preparing all those fiddly dishes didn't seem quite so bad.  
Not compared to what he was about to be faced with.  
Hiwatari Kenjiro.  
The Chairman.  
Dear old grand-papa.

He seemed to hold his breath as he walked through the emptying building, taking himself higher and higher up to the top of the building.  
Finally, he made it to the familiar decorative wooden doors.  
“Come.” came the almost wheezing and muffled voice through it as he knocked.

He let himself in, finding two sets of deep mahogany eyes fall on him.  
One belonging to the Chairman. The other belonging to Hiwatari Ichiro.  
The Vice Chairman.  
Dear old papa.

Soichiro cleared his throat.  
“You asked to see me, sir?” he greeted, looking over the senior who had near enough melted in to his chair with age.  
The suit he was wearing was pristine like it always was, while the skin that lay beneath it hung greying and wrinkled.  
Beside him stood his father, taking up the papers his father had shakily signed and handed to him.. A version more pleasing to the eye despite the ever present stony look on his face.  
“You didn't skulk off early like I thought you would...” the wheezing voice jeered with an patronising hint of a chuckle.  
Soichiro shifted.  
“...No, sir.”  
“Hn. You're to be back in the office as normal January third. Understood?”  
Soichiro didn't dare react as he felt his father watch him.  
“Of course, sir.”

The Chairman lifted his head a little higher, easing back in to the large leather seat and seemed to eye him also.  
“It's my understanding that you and your lady friend had plans of a ski break up at the mountain resort...” he shot down with disdain clear in his smooth voice.  
Soichiro felt his chest tighten and his skin prickle in annoyance.  
Nothing was a secret in that damn house...hence the plan for a few days away...  
Alone.  
He cleared his throat again out of nerves.  
“Well...it was just an idea we discussed in the event of a longer holiday...”  
Both father and grandfather scoffed.  
“Longer? You think you get that sort of privilege after a mere year here?”  
Soichiro bit his tongue.  
Two, actually.  
The Chairman frowned at seeing the slight flair in his grandson's eye, lifting his withered finger and pointed at him.  
“You listen to me, boy. I don't know what you were taught in that university, but this is the real world. You may be in line for this seat, but that doesn't mean it is handed to you on a platter. You have a long way to go and a lot to learn. So may I suggest that instead of coasting by and falling prey to female distraction, you take some initiative and actually put your nose to the grind so that when your time does come, you don't destroy generations worth of hard work!”  
Soichiro's mind conjured up some suggestions of his own to give back.  
But as always, they remained unsaid.  
Instead, his spine went in to autopilot and bent him in to a bow.  
“Yes, sir...”  
The still pointing finger gave a dismissive flick, and once again he found himself holding his breath  
until he was in the bright corridor where the air finally felt fresh again. 

He expelled it roughly through his nose, feet walking back down with some more weight behind each step as he made his way to leave the building for the generous 48hr holiday.  
Boy!? He was twenty six next month!  
Lady friend!? Still!?  
Wife! You miserable old goat.  
He was at the wedding!  
It was even his choice to match her with him in the first place!  
But just like always...enforced something and then turned it on him.

Forced him to join a sports team as a schoolboy. Learn about dedication, self discipline and team effort.  
Not that he minded. He loved baseball.  
Their school team made it to the nationals every year he was in it. Hell of a swing, if he said so himself.  
As soon as he reached his third and final year of middle school, he was scolded for spending too much time playing and not enough on studies. 

Forced him to go to the same university his father went to. And his father went to. And his father went to. Knowledge was power, after all.  
Not that he minded. He liked academics.  
Learned about economics, business, took it upon himself to study English figuring it would be useful in a global enterprise.  
His high grades were met with a nod and a scathing remark that books only taught so much. His learning would really begin once he started doing actual work. Was about time he stopped sitting around with books and got to work.

Forced him to join a low level position in the company the moment he graduated.  
He didn't mind. He really did have a lot to learn. Better to work your way to the top and learn the ropes properly. 

But despite all the hours, the effort, the note taking, the watching and learning, the rolling up of sleeves and getting right in there hands on.  
Despite all the sleepless nights. Or even the times he slept in the office overnight.  
...Was still just coasting.  
Not taking it seriously, he said. Often.  
He took it very seriously...

Then the most recent, forced to take a wife.

He minded this time.  
He didn't feel ready to be a husband. Nor was he overly interested in being one. He liked his solitude and very limited freedom. 

Until he met her...

They courted for around six months before he proposed marriage. 

The wedding took place six months after that. Only two months ago in October.  
Now she lived with him in the family estate...with the rest of them.

The new nerve that was now being poked by his grandfather since the moment he said I do was...

“Where's my great grandson?”

...Of course, grandfather dearest. Get right on that.  
Had barely been able to spend so much as a Sunday afternoon with her due to the excessive overtime.  
When she retired to bed in the evening, he was still up finishing up loose ends he'd need for the next day. 

If the old fool used his head, perhaps he would allow the extra few days leave for the mountain resort if it really was progress in that department he wanted...

“Penny for your thoughts?”

He snapped his head to the side, the cold air from the outside finally hitting against his face as he stopped midway opening the heavy door.

After a few moments of startled deer-like expression, another giggle broke the silence.  
“In or out? You're letting all the cold air in.”

Wine coloured eyes finally tore away from her, letting go of the door to let it fall shut again as he walked over to her.

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a pleased pitch.

Hazel eyes glinted back, coy smile stretching as she adjusted the fur collar to her coat.

“Can't a lady invite her husband out to dinner?”

Mahogany eyes softened, looking her over.  
As always, she looked lovely.  
She wore a long, fitted navy coat trimmed with fur. Elegant gloves and her boots with a slight heel. Pearl studs in her ears.  
She had done her hair up prettily. It always was done nicely, but she had made extra effort tonight.

“She can indeed. And her husband would be honoured to accept...if he were dressed for the occasion.” he replied as he held open his coat to show his work attire.

She looked him over too as she stepped up to him.

“You're wearing a suit aren't you? Seems appropriate enough attire to me.” she countered, smoothing over his shoulders with her hand before nodding in approval.  
“Mm. Very handsome.”

Soichiro lifted an amused brow.

“And there is also the slight issue of timing. You realise it's New Year's Eve, don't you?”

“I do.”

“And therefore most places will be either fully booked or closed.” he broke to her, figuring it was better to just be forward.

He waited for the disappointed face he loathed to see, but instead he got an almost challenging smirk.

“Perhaps. But we'll find something. Let's go.”

Figuring she had her mind set on it, Soichiro offered an arm for her to take and made it out in to the cold winter air. He let out a shiver immediately as fat and soft snowflakes floated silently on to the street in front of him.  
When had it started snowing?  
She'd catch her death walking around in this.

“...Perhaps we should-”

“We'll be fine. Let's walk.”

He didn't want to disappoint, so did as he was told and lead her down the white dusted steps, slowly and carefully to make sure she didn't slip with those heeled boots.  
She handed him the umbrella she'd brought, huddling closer in to his arm to get both warmer and under the shelter.

Their first stop, a place they'd been many times, sure enough was already closed.  
The second open but were fully booked.  
And the third.  
Soichiro racked his brains. Where could they go?  
It was getting later and colder...her feet were probably hurting.  
But at the same time, the spontaneous little quest they'd embarked on, just the two of them, was rather pleasant.  
He was beginning to feel defeat creeping up on them at the sixth rejection.  
The snow seemed to be getting thicker as well...

“Yoshiko...” he sighed apologetically, getting ready to wave the white flag and take her home.

But she was stubborn.

“What about there?” she asked, tugging his arm and pointing.  
He looked, frowning and tilting his head.

There was no restaurant there. Just a...

“...The ramen shop?”

“Yeh! Sounds good about now doesn't it? Nice hot broth to warm us up.”

“W-well yes, but...”

But their kind rarely frequented ramen shops. Certainly not these run down looking kinds that were all over town, likely to be owned by a toothless old married couple who smoked like chimneys and spit polished the serve wear.

“Are we not a tad overdressed?” he asked, glancing again at her expensive coat and hoping it would be enough to dissuade her.

She waved his comment off.  
“Oh, who cares! Let's go see! I promise if this one is full, we'll call it a night and get a taxi home.”

He couldn't argue with that.  
And luckily it looked rather small. Likely would be full.

Ducking under the small curtain and sliding the door open, steam and cigarette smoke hit him in the face, making his skin itch with the contrast of the freezing cold air. 

A middle aged man with a bandanna tied around his head shouted in greeting as he flicked the large sieve holding a mound of noodles while the few patrons at the counter lifted their heads for the briefest of moments in between slurps.

“Um...I don't suppose you have a table for two?”

The man looked around before pointing.  
“One there.”

“Ah...thank you...”  
Yoshiko tried not to snort.  
Talk about a fish out of water...

They sat at the chipped table, looking around for a menu.  
“What size would you like?” the man called from over the counter.

Soichiro blinked.  
“Beg your pardon?”

“Size. We do regular, large or extra large.”

Well...that narrowed selection down...  
“Regular for me please.” his wife answered.  
“Make that two, please...”  
With a nod, the man went to work, leaving the couple in awkward silence. They glanced around at the tobacco yellow walls with dated beer posters and other 'decorations'.  
...Even a calendar from the previous year still on the wall.

Yoshiko unbuttoned her coat, finding herself too warm now they were inside the almost sauna, slipping if off her shoulders.  
She watched him with a smirk as he looked around, trying and failing to hide the distaste on his face.  
But she had just the distraction.  
She cleared her throat, running her fingers subtly along her necklace.

His eyes wandered back at the sound, landing on her jewellery. His face immediately broke in to a warm smile.  
“...Ah. You're wearing it.”  
“I am.” she replied, matching his smile back.

He nodded, trying to end the smile but finding it was being as stubborn as she was.  
Christmas was a completely Western event, one that went unmentioned in his household. Though apparently, her family had adopted some of the customs. They had cake and gave gifts when she was a child. So he thought it only right to get her a Christmas gift, but couldn't say he had much experience buying presents for women.

She did seem to love pearls...so chanced a necklace.  
Despite insisting she liked it, he wasn't entirely convinced he'd made a good choice.  
But it seemed, for once, he'd done something right. 

“It suits you.”  
“It does. Thank you.”

As time went on in their relatively short partnership, he realised more and more that she was the only one who actually did make him feel like he ever did anything right.  
That he was enough.  
Even gifted him with the odd show of appreciation, or encouraging verbal or even literal pat on the back.  
There was no heavy expectation or double standard.  
No constant criticism.  
She seemed pleased and content with him just...as he was.  
Which meant when he was alone in her company, he could finally unclench.  
She seemed to enjoy his company a lot more when he did.  
And as for him, he enjoyed hers more than anyone he'd ever met before.  
Dare he even admit, loved her.

“You're very welcome...”  
He looked around again, finding a small and quiet chuckle leave his throat.  
“Hn...is this what you envisioned when you got ready?”  
“Not quite...but no matter. It wasn't the food I was concerned about anyway.”  
“Oh?”  
She nodded, pouring some water for them from the jug on the table.  
“We are about to endure an entire day with the family. My first new year as part of it. I imagine it will be either silence or boring talk of...oh, whatever it is your father decides to ramble on about, am I about on the mark?”  
Soichiro's eyes glinted.  
“Bullseye...”  
“Exactly...so if the first day of the year is to be a drag, then at very least the last day of this one should be a little more fun. Lord knows we barely get a moment to ourselves to just enjoy our marriage...”  
Soichiro's heart sank.  
Now might be the time to tell her the mountain resort was out of the question...  
But that would ruin the entire evening...  
He would tell her later.

“So it could be a pack of peanuts for all I care.” she continued, “I just wanted an evening. With you.”  
He nodded, reaching over and patting her hand.  
“You're quite right. Time together is scarce...Perhaps our resolution this year should be to make a little more time for each other somehow. Just the two of us.”

Yoshiko's chest tensed.  
That was an ideal window...wasn't it?  
Her throat closed up, trying hard to open it again when the middle aged man cut in by setting two bowls down in front of them.  
Maybe later...

“Well...this looks much better than anticipated.” Soichiro chuckled in pleasant surprise, taking the glass of water his wife had poured for him and lifting it.  
“So then...a fond farewell to the Year of the Rabbit and a welcome to what will hopefully be a prosperous Year of the Dragon.”  
She smiled and clinked her glass with his.  
Ohhh, it would be life changing all right...

Almost an hour later, the taxi stopped outside the gates of the large estate. Curtains drawn closed in most of the windows with the exception of a few showing some light.  
Soichiro paid the driver, getting out and crunching his way though the fresh snow as he walked around to the other side to open the door for her and help her out.  
Having given her his arm again to stop her slipping, they walked down the frosted gravel path that lead them to the cold house.  
“We are going to make the place stink of garlic...” Yoshiko whispered and giggled.  
That broth had been...pungent.  
“Perhaps that's a blessing. I hear that repels vampires and other hideous creatures from the undead. Maybe the Chairman will steer clear of us for the day.” Soichiro whispered back with a wry smirk.  
His wife snorted, slapping his arm.  
“What an awful thing to say!” she laughed, trying to keep her volume to a minimum.  
She got a deep, filthy chuckle back.

They made their way through the still, stale and grand building, navigating their way quietly to their quarters.

The pair of them froze as they heard the click of a door.  
“Ah. You two decided to come back...”  
“Yes. Apologies if we disturbed you.” Soichiro answered quickly.  
His father stood firm, face stonier than ever despite being wrapped in a luxurious looking dressing gown.  
The silence as he pondered...whatever he was pondering became uncomfortable.  
“You know, I thought we'd raised you to have some respect and courtesy. If you knew you wouldn't be at dinner, a word or telephone call would have been sufficient.”  
Soichiro side glanced his wife.  
She hadn't mentioned???  
He opened his mouth to take the blame, tell him it was he who had failed to call.  
But it seemed his father didn't want to hear it anyway.  
“Goodnight to you both. Remember we'll be leaving for the shrine right after breakfast.”  
Soichiro nodded.  
Ah yes. The annual shrine visit.  
One of the other new year traditions.  
Getting in to pray for the year ahead as soon as possible while at the same time avoiding the midnight and early morning crowds.  
Not to mention a sponsored donation from the company.  
Like the Chairman did every year. And the last chairman always had. And the chairman before that.

He hurried them to their room quickly after his father closed the door before anyone else came out to scold them.  
As soon as their door too was closed, he let out a sigh.  
“You didn't mention you were meeting me?”  
She made a face, reaching up to take the collar of his jacket and help slide it off his shoulders like she did every day.  
“Why on earth should I? We're not children with a curfew. We're married for heaven's sake.”  
He smirked.  
She had a small rebellious streak in her as well to go along with her stubbornness.  
He liked it...

“Well, yes. That is true. But for the sake of the cooks knowing how much to prepare...” he countered, undoing his tie.  
She huffed, hanging his jacket and putting it in the closet.  
“Yes, all right. In future I'll mention it...to the kitchen.”  
He chuckled, sliding the tie off and sinking in to the plush arm chair that sat beside the small table.  
The room went quiet. Only the small sounds of her pottering around the room behind him before going to the bathroom.  
She come back a little while later changed in her night dress.  
He seemed deep in thought. Unpleasant ones at that, judging by the look on his face.  
Maybe he was still bothered by the reprimanding by his father.

She walked up behind him and slipped her hands on to his shoulders, pressing her fingers in.  
“Penny for your thoughts?”  
He scrunched his eyes shut.  
No time like the present...  
He lifted his hand to hers to stop her.  
“Listen...I'd rather you heard it from me than from one of them tomorrow. Come sit...”  
She immediately did as she was asked.  
That sounded serious...  
He sat, letting the anticipating pause hang in the air.  
“I'm afraid...I'm due back at the office come January third. I overshot my expectation of being off until the sixth...the lodge will have to wait until another time. I am sorry...”

He kicked himself.  
He'd just promised her he'd try harder to make time for them.  
Why had he said that knowing he had to break this news to her?  
He waited for the disappointed face that he loathed to see.  
After a few moments for the announcement to trickle through, she smiled.  
“Oh, that's all right. We knew that was a possibility. And besides, it isn't like I would be able to actually ski anyway.”  
Soichiro let out a small and barely noticeable sigh of relief before her choice of words trickled through to him and made him frown.  
“...Why ever not?”  
It had been her choice in the first place...why would she choose a ski resort if she couldn't ski?  
Her heart pounded in her chest, both nervous and excited.  
No time like the present...  
She reached over and took up his hand.  
“Darling...”  
His bushy eyebrows lifted, waiting on the edge of his seat for her to continue.  
“I'm pregnant.”


	2. Susumu

Part Two – Susumu 

January 1st, 1990.

The atmosphere in the car was icy to say the least.  
Hazel eyes were looking out the window, though were focused on the slight reflection of the man sitting on the other side of her.  
She tried to swallow her impatience.  
And he had the audacity to call her stubborn.

She wasn't playing this game. Not today.   
It was New Year for goodness sake! A day for family and hopes for the year ahead.  
Not sulking over a change in venue for once. 

They had spent every single New Year at the estate since they married.  
For him, it had been every single year probably since he was born.  
Then again, he was a creature of habit. And particular as anything. Things had to be a certain way.  
His way.

She grabbed her mauve handbag roughly, pulling out her compact and lipstick for a touch up.  
“Are you really going to be like this all day?” she snapped at him finally, throwing a deadly side glance from the hand mirror.   
“Be like what dear? I never said a word...” his deep voice seeped out almost petulantly.

This was exactly why she wanted to busy her hands with the mirror and lipstick.  
So she didn't give him a clout.

“Oh, you know exactly what!” she bit, “He just cannot win with you, can he? Our son has not long become a father himself! He wanted to be the man of his own house! With his family! He wants to show you his own little empire and all you can do is sulk because for once we're not holding something at the estate!”  
She threw her lipstick roughly back in to her bag.  
“I honestly thought you'd be proud of him! You told him he needed to grow up, he wants to show you how much he has!”

Mahogany eyes flared while a patronising little laugh came out of him.  
“Man of his own house? Ha! I fail to see how it's his little empire considering I financed the entire thing!”

She narrowed her eyes at him.  
“He is paying you back...” she retorted in a tone that Soichiro knew to be treading closely on the line.  
“With the money he earns from the job you want him to do...I honestly thought you'd be happy...”

...Considering he of all people knew what it was like being watched in their own 'home'. Every move seen and every action judged and commented on.  
Now he wanted the same for his son, daughter-in-law and grandson?

The words balanced on the tip of her tongue, but went unsaid.   
Had she uttered them, the day would be awash. 

It didn't stop her from shuddering at the thought.   
It had been awful. Especially after Susumu was born.  
Nothing made you feel like a god awful parents more than constant scrutiny and criticism from other people.

It wasn't like they had even gone far. They could and would still be very much involved in their lives without smothering them was all.

Lord knew Misaki needed their help, poor dear. She had lost her own mother at a young age and then her father just a few years ago.  
Susumu said she had a few uncles dotted around the country, but they didn't really have a relationship.  
They were her family now.  
That did not mean they all had to live under the same roof and in each other's business every minute of every day.  
They still could have an abundance of quality time. Such as their first grandchild's first new year.  
...So perhaps someone might stop being so childish!

Meanwhile, the other stewed.  
Oh, what a surprise. He was the unreasonable one again...  
Why he was getting this kind of treatment was beyond him.  
A man had the right to host New Year or other family events when his father was unable to host any more...or in an urn.  
He may be greying and not quite the spring chicken he once was, but he wasn't dead yet!  
Did tradition mean nothing any more!?

He side glanced at his wife.  
Hn! Of course she would be happy with this little arrangement.  
She spoiled that boy...always had.  
And after getting acquainted with his now wife, she had been spoiling her as well.

There was nothing wrong with her showing affection or kindness.  
Her nature was one big reason why he loved her so deeply.  
She just took it too far with him! Pandered!   
Whatever wild idea he had, she supported and fought in his corner.  
Then had the nerve to call him controlling, too strict.  
Even dared to hint he was turning in to his father!  
HA! He thought not! 

Susumu's life was a picnic compared to how his had been!   
He allowed his little fancies and hobbies. All he asked in return was that the work was done first.  
His homework completed before playtime as a child. That kind of thing.  
Teach him that business came before pleasure.  
Fair, was it not?!  
He thought so.   
But as Susumu physically matured in to a young man, his heart didn't mature with it.  
He was obsessed with his little hobbies. And oh, the list of them kept growing.  
Wanted to play the saxophone at one point. Took three months worth of lessons and then it gathered dust.   
Wanted to spend a year in Australia to study English.   
Soichiro had been thrilled at that idea. English would be useful.  
...Changed his mind two weeks later.  
Had been put off by the poisonous wildlife...  
Or perhaps it was the essay he would have had to write in English to be considered...  
Yes, the little fads came and went.  
But sadly one had stuck.  
And it was the one that irked him more and more the older he got.  
Those stupid spinning top toys...  
As a child, he could forgive it. Children played with toys.  
Once he hit sixteen or so, he just found it embarrassing.   
He should have been focussing on his future. Making sure he got what he needed to get to university. Advance to the next step.  
Grow up!  
It may be his turn next to run the firm, but it wasn't just something that got handed over willy nilly like it was a car!   
Just hop in the driver's seat and take her for a spin...adjust the seat and off he'd go!  
If only it were that simple. But like most things in life, it wasn't quite so easy.

He'd even yielded to his choice of degree...  
He wanted to study engineering...  
At least some knowledge in that field could be put to use at the company.   
It was something that required innovation, initiative, patience.   
His son needed a good dose of that.  
He had compromised. As long as he also combined some business studies, he could do engineering.  
And then he wanted to do a masters in it...  
He wanted to say no to that. Seemed to him like he was just avoiding joining the real world.   
But like always his mother had twisted his arm...

The boy had done well...Clearly he was gifted at it. And enjoyed it.  
A shame he wouldn't transfer that level of enthusiasm to his current position.  
On a much lower rung at the company. Just as he had.  
The essential path to one day sit at the top.  
He really ought to consider himself lucky he had a father and Chairman that looked out for him. Stepped in and guided when needed.  
He had been thrown in the deep end from day one. If he swung and missed at any point, it was met with wrath rather than assistance.  
But instead, his son repaid him by deliberately swinging to miss it seemed. Out of some rebellious pubescent phase he was yet to outgrow. Then would run to his mother when he was forced to show his anger or deliver consequence.  
And to think now he had produced offspring...  
As wonderful as the new addition to the family was, he did worry for the little one.  
At least the wife seemed to have something that resembled a head between her shoulders. Albeit a meek one. 

Yoshiko huffed after the few moments of silent brooding between them, more than ready to melt the ice.  
She did not want this nonsense. Was sick of it.  
She had lost count of the number of times he and Susumu had butted heads. She had hoped it was just a stupid alpha-male power battle between them when Susumu reached the age where he was becoming his own man. When he started fighting back instead of cowering and saying 'yes, papa'.  
Their son had his own way of doing things, but ultimately he took on his duty like his father wanted.  
She even was naïve enough to think once he had graduated and started working at the company, had properly gotten his feet through the doors, things would smooth over.  
If anything, it had just gotten worse...  
Her husband breathed down their son's neck.  
Susumu almost seemed to purposefully defy his father. Just enough to rile him and get under his skin. 

Especially after Soichiro started pushing for grandchildren.

Susumu met Misaki at university. Married after he graduated his masters.  
Not long after starting at the company.  
Soichiro waited a year before he started enquiring about their intention for children.  
After another year went by, he got a little more vocal.  
The third he showed his impatience.  
But both Susumu and Misaki had begged her not to tell him of the difficulties.  
Had she just told him, his comments and questioning would stop.  
And if he had stopped, then Susumu would have had much less need to feel defensive and retaliate with his own snubs to fan the flames.  
But she was a woman of her word.

Finally, this time last year actually, to everyone's joy and relief, they were blessed.  
They named him Kai.  
Of course Soichiro had been beside himself that it was a boy.  
But she had been surprised he liked the name.  
She remembered what a hard time he had with her choice for their son. She refused to follow their family pattern of naming the boys with names ending in -ro.  
Soichiro  
Ichiro  
Kenjiro  
Saburo.

The list went on.  
Yes, the kanji meant 'son'. Very fitting.  
But she just didn't care for it...too old fashioned sounding.  
And damn it, she'd been the one to lug him around inside her for nine months and then push him out without so much as a shot of whiskey for the pain.

He blamed the break in tradition for their son's more carefree personality...

He didn't seem so bothered that the suffix was missing from his grandson's name too.  
But that was clearly because, whether he would ever admit it or not, he was smitten.  
From the moment he found out he was in his mother's belly.  
They could have named him Satan and he wouldn't have batted an eye.  
Sure, he was a boy and therefore Susumu had done his duty to the name.  
But really, she thought he was just ready and waiting to be a grandpa.

Which was why she knew another reason why he was sulking over the change in venue.  
Because in the short five months Kai had been on this earth, he was yet to come over to the estate. While he was there at least.  
And he had gone to the effort of personally setting up a nursery for him. The same room that had been Susumu's nursery, which hadn't escaped her notice.  
Despite how things had transpired between them, when Susumu was small, he was quite the daddy's boy and apple of her husband's eye.

But would either of her idiotic darling boys just be upfront with each other?!

“Hey son. I really would like to have my beloved grandson come stay over at ours. I was even sentimental enough to put it in the same room you lay in as a baby. Because you're my son and I love you despite our differences.”

“Hey dad. I just became a papa myself and finally feel like a responsible adult, so would love to invite you to my home so you can share in my beautiful family and have your mind be put at ease when you see I'm doing a decent job at it. Because despite my rebellion all I want is your approval and love.”

Would they fudge...

Urgh. She loved them. But Hiwatari men were painfully difficult.  
And another one just arrived!  
Ah yes, her weapon.

“...I bet you can't wait to see Kai. How long has it been now?”  
He graced her with a half glare.  
Why was she doing this to him? She knew the answer.  
“Almost two months...”

He had been on a series of business trips to China and other parts of Asia. Going around factories and other manufacturing related business.  
It had been the longest he'd been away in one stint in years. Just when he really didn't want to be away.

“He's grown a lot in that time. Amazing how quickly they grow, isn't it?”  
“Yes, all right woman! No need to twist the knife!”  
She smirked as he bit.  
“What knife, dear? Was just making conversation.”  
His face scrunched in annoyance.  
“Ah yes, just making chit chat while rubbing the salt in the wound that I've been absent for everything!”  
She reached over and pat his hand.  
Tad dramatic. He'd gotten a little bigger and had learned how to roll on to his belly. Endearing none the less.  
“I'm doing no such thing. But considering how quickly it goes by, isn't life too short for these silly little arguments? Instead of being grumpy, go make up for your lost time with Kai and enjoy the party. We'll ask them to come spend the weekend with us. Problem solved.”  
He rolled his eyes. How amusing she thought he was bothered.  
“Very well.”

Meanwhile, the kitchen was in chaos.  
A dirty apron acted as a shield over a dark green dress that she regretted putting on while still attempting to prepare food.  
But what choice did she have when they were due any minute?!  
She flipped through the recipe book in a panic.  
Why had Susumu done this to her!?  
She could cook just fine. But not to the standard her mother and father in law were used to!  
Her brow twitched when a cry came through the baby monitor.  
“Misaaaakkkiii?”  
“DEAL WITH HIM!” She yelled through the kitchen door as her cooking chopsticks went to work.  
Honestly! Was his idea to host and then left her with all the preparation!  
The least he could do was care for the baby while she did it!  
She focussed back on the pan.  
Was this right?  
Shit!  
Thank god she took the initiative to order in some sushi. At least there would be something decent on the table.  
Tall and dark walked in.  
“I was going to. The baby wipes are finished, I don't know where you put the new ones.”  
“Oh! They uh...there should be a new pack in the diaper drawer.”  
“I looked in there.”  
“Then check the bathroom cupboard! Little busy here!” she snapped, going back to the stove in a huff.  
He did as he was told. For his own safety if anything.  
Finding what he needed, he returned to the wailing baby laying uncomfortably in his crib.  
“I'm sorry, kiddo. Daddy doesn't know where anything is, does he? C'mon, let's get you all nice and cleaned up and lookin' handsome for Grandma and Grandpa!”  
After getting him clean again, he wrestled as always to get him in to his baby onesie.  
Misaki seemed to have it down to an art.  
How did he have a masters in engineering but still managed to struggle with dressing a baby?  
Should be a pro by now, he'd been doing this for...  
As the realisation smacked him round the head, he stopped for a moment and started off in to space.  
That was really five months ago already?  
To the day, in fact.  
This very moment in time five months ago, his usually sweet and quiet Misaki was using language that made the doctor blush.  
At the time it had been horrible. There was nothing he could really do but give her pep talks...which either were received well and served out their purpose or brought on a fit of enraged cussing in his direction.  
That and back rubs when the contractions hit.  
He still got a little queasy when he remembered some of the sights of that day. Not to mention some of the tools the doc pulled out.   
He had been considering getting Misaki an Eternity ring after the baby was born. Seemed a much nicer time to give it than for a fifth or tenth anniversary.  
After watching what happened, he made sure it encrusted in diamonds...  
As he did up the popper buttons over his cute lil' round belly, he suddenly started babbling.  
“Happy New Year to you, too...” Susumu played along chattering with him a little longer while he finished up.  
“Look who is all clean and ready to partttyyy!” he introduced as he went to the kitchen.  
Presenting the momma bear with her cub would take away some of that tension!  
Misaki quickly dried her hands and went over, beaming.  
“Oooohh here's my little ma-...'Sumu, you could have at least done something to that hair.” she sighed as she took in the baby bedhead.  
Susumu let out a laugh.  
“I did brush it. There was no taming it. I kinda like it though. He looks like a baby rock star.”  
Misaki snorted as he went on to bounce him making guitar noises, getting a happy giggle back.  
He hoped he wouldn't say that in front of his parents.  
Didn't need any holiday heart attacks.  
...Or food poisoning...  
On the reminder, she darted back to the kitchen counter in a flap.  
“Do these look right to you?”  
Susumu tried not to roll his eyes. She'd been freaking out about this meal all week. Why, he didn't know. She was a wonderful cook.  
When in doubt, use the baby.  
He less than subtly followed her and just handed him over, filling her arms so she couldn't poke around the counters any more.  
“It looks wonderful! I told you, mom wouldn't care if you lay out a bag of chips. She'll be happy just fawning over Kai and the house.”  
She got Kai in to a more comfortable position before giving him a dull look.  
“And your dad...?”  
“Will probably be the same just silently with a face like a slapped backside as usual. Honestly honey, you've got nothing to be so worked up about.”  
As if the devil himself has been listening, the doorbell went, making her jump out of her skin.  
The door!  
She balanced Kai while combing her hand through her hair, getting half way before doing a 180.  
Apron off!!  
She trotted back, throwing herself at the door to let them in while Susumu braced himself.  
It was going to be fine...  
Any crap, he'd just remove himself and avoid any conflict at all costs.  
He promised her he would.  
As he got to the hallway, his mother was already holding and cooing over the baby.  
“Hey! Happy New Year!” he greeted with a big, polite grin.  
“Happy New Year, dear.” his mom offered back despite her eyes being fixed on the infant.  
“Why don't you come through to the living room. Much warmer in there.” he suggested.  
Knowing his mom, she'd stand there for another hour.  
The three adults head through first, leaving Soichiro to finish hanging up his coat.  
Once he joined them, Misaki invited him to take the arm chair to the side of the sofa where the rest of them were sat.  
He nodded and took a seat.  
Seemed about right. Put him out the way with the rest of the old tatter.

Yoshiko finally tore her eyes off her grandbaby.  
“Oh, I love the color scheme you ended up doing! Those curtains are beautiful!”  
“Thank you! Finally got round to doing this room up. Been saying I wanted to the past six months or so.”  
“Well, you have impeccable taste, my dear.” her mother in law complimented.  
“Apart from taste in men.” Susumu joked at his own expense.  
“Hn...understatement.” his father chirped back.  
The air told everyone Susumu didn't feel that was in the same jest.  
Yoshiko sighed silently through her nose, trying to think of a quick diversion.  
“Any other plans for the place or are you done polishing?”  
Luckily, Susumu latched on to it.  
“The house is pretty much how she wants it, right honey?”  
She nodded quietly.  
“So all that's left now is my workshop down in the basement! Left that one for last.”  
Misaki groaned internally.  
Why would he do that?  
“Oh? And what sort of workshop would that be?” his father's deep tone asked in distaste, already knowing the answer.  
His son gave him a forced smile.  
“My beyblade workshop.”  
It was Yoshiko's turn to groan on the inside.  
Here we go...  
Soichiro let out a sound of forced intrigue.  
“Is that so? Transitioning to a higher position at work next month, wife and new baby at home...and still time to tinker with toys? Interesting...”  
“Something smells delicious Misaki!!!” Yoshiko interjected as quickly as she could.  
Misaki rubbed the baby's back in her own tense dread.  
“Oh! Thank you! I uh...I've never had to make Osechi before so...here's hoping!!” She laughed awkwardly.  
“Nonsense, dear! It'll be a triumph!!”  
Susumu read the air despite the slew of snapping that was fogging in his chest ready to hurl at his father.  
Was he insinuating he was a bad husband and dad because he had a hobby!?  
Offfff course he was!  
The language he wanted to expel at him, powered by years of festering annoyance, was far too colorful for the ears of his mother, wife and child.  
Maybe not labor-Misaki severe at present. But pretty close.  
He pushed himself up off the chair and excused himself.  
A cool off upstairs...  
As soon as he left, there was an awkward tension left in the room. And quiet.  
“How about you show me those dishes hm? You can show me the new kitchen décor while you're at it!” Yoshiko suggested.  
Misaki took it, wanting to get out the living room at any chance given.  
“Of course! You can tell me what needs saving.” she joked as she stood, adjusting her hold on Kai.  
“I'll take him.”  
She turned her head at the sudden interjection.  
Deep mahogany stared at her, hands out ready.  
He didn't seem to like her hesitance.  
“You can't exactly potter in the kitchen with an infant on your hip. Not easily anyway. I'll take him.” he repeated with a strong hint of command.

Misaki flinched slightly at the tone, feeling her hold on her baby get a little tighter.  
Wasn't like he'd never held him before.  
But she'd always been present...  
He was his grandfather.   
But her mental images of him whisking him off under his cloak and locking him in a boardroom shaped tower made her feel a silly sense of uneasiness.  
“For goodness sake! I raised my own son did I not? And he turned out...well, he's alive.” he barked, breaking her internal deliberation, “I won't break him...”   
She forced a smile.  
“I'm sorry, dad. I wasn't implying you would...” she laughed nervously and awkwardly.  
“How many times have I told you about your tone over the past thirty years dear? Besides, she's still in her first year of being a mommy...it's natural to be protective. Be gentle.” his wife sent a warning dressed with a light tone.  
Soichiro refrained from rolling his eyes.  
Ohhhh his wife did utter some tripe sometimes.   
Natural to be so protective the boy's own blood relatives couldn't handle him for five minutes while they went to another room in the same building?  
Outstanding start...with two apparent bohemians as parents, the boy was looking down the barrel of being breastfed right up until they dropped him off to do his degree in liberal arts...at a second rate college at that...  
He was brought out of his stewing by his wife placing the baby in his now unexpecting arms, having acted as a go-between between father and daughter in-law.  
“Now then. Misaki. Lead the way!” she smiled as she took her by the arm and pulled her to leave the living room.   
Soichiro watched the door, waiting for the sounds of the footsteps to get far enough away before he finally looked down and made contact with the big, bright red eyes.  
After a moment of staring, a huge, toothless smile beamed at him.  
His stern, wrinkling face finally softened, letting a smirk crack.  
He let a short chuckle out of his throat, quickly snapping his eyes back to the door.  
He adjusted his hold on the baby (now much heavier than he remembered), hurrying over and slowly peered around the doorway to check the hall was still completely empty...

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Misaki stood awaiting judgement as her mother-in-law inspected her dishes.  
Thankfully, she was a nice person.  
“These are wonderful! You made them all yourself? Aren't you good!” she praised. “This one in particular is exquisite! I've never seen this in Osechi before!”  
She let out a sigh of relief.   
“Thank you. Me either, but I saw it in a magazine and thought I'd give it a try.”  
“Well it's good enough to have year round. Mind if I steal the recipe from you?”  
The younger woman beamed.  
Really? She liked it that much?  
“Of course! Hold on, let me get a pad and pen and I'll write it down for you!” she replied happily as she shuffled out and back down the hall.  
Oh, thank god for that...  
Unless she was lying...just being nice.  
But then you'd be able to see in their face if it tasted awful, right?

She came out her tilting between self pride and self doubt when music hit her ears.  
Her little baby boy's laughter.  
...Hysterical laughter at that.  
She frowned, trying to compute.  
Infant + Stern father-in-law = laughter?  
Ohhh was it actually a weird new cry?  
She hurried her shuffling, quietly peering her head around the door.  
Her eyes almost fell out her head.

“Wheeeere's Kai...? There he is!!”  
Squealing giggles came out as small feet kicked.  
“You're not ticklish are you? Areeee youuu?” the same deep and rough voice cooed in a way she'd never heard it.  
The gurgling laughter shrieked in a high pitch as tiny arms flailed.  
“Ahaaaa! Looks like you aarrrree!”   
He snapped his head up when he felt a sudden intrusion.  
Despite the warm sound of a baby's laughter, his insides went blue.  
She stood politely but uncomfortably in the doorway with her hands together resting in front of her like she was a secretary waiting to come in to the office.

He quickly cleared his throat, picking the baby up to sit him up on his lap.  
“Sorry I...just need a pen...” Misaki explained...for some reason...was her own house.  
The big bright red eyes looked up and around looking for him, seemingly confused at the change in game. He didn't care for this one.  
He made a noise trying to get his attention back.  
Misaki hurried to find the pad and pen before she laughed.  
Seemed Kai wasn't done playing with Grandpa...  
She avoided eye contact like the plague and hurried out again, waiting until she was well in to the hall before her own large smirk cracked.

About half an hour later, Misaki called everyone down to the dining room, table set beautifully and feeling a lot more confident about everything she would place down on it.  
Her now calm husband made his way down, making himself comfortable on the cushion on the floor.  
Shortly followed by his mother.  
And then finally, Soichiro came in with his head a little lower than he'd usually hold it, carrying a now very sleepy Kai who had rest his head on his shoulder wanting to nap there.  
“Where would you like me to...?” he asked somewhat sheepishly.  
“Oh you can set him down in his little bouncy chair here.” Misaki instructed, pulling it round and setting it by the corner of the table between them.  
As soon as he did so, Kai fussed and grizzled, arching his body in the chair and clearly unhappy to be in it.  
“Shhhhh.” his mom cooed as she quickly popped the pacifier in his mouth, automatically putting her hand out to the top of it and pushing to make it rock.  
She turned her head back to the rest of them while she waited for the ticking bomb in the chair to process what was happening and give a verdict.  
“Dig in everyone!”  
They did as they were told, all watching and waiting to see who would win this flicker of a battle.  
“Look at the state of his hair...” granny snorted as she finally commented on the mess sitting above the drooping but fighting eyes.  
“I know...” Misaki sighed, “Some days I can get it neat and tidy and others he...well, looks like this. I still can't figure out where on earth that color came from though.” she mused.  
Her son's hair came in overnight it seemed. But the more that appeared, the more puzzled she got.  
Was almost a white or a silver at the top...and then dark at the back??  
A deep throat cleared yet again.  
“His great uncle...”  
They all looked at him.  
“Sorry?” Misaki pressed. That was an answer, but not.  
He gave her a small glance.  
“His great uncle. Rintaro. He also had an unusual two tone to his hair...”  
Susumu blinked and went down his own memory lane.  
...Did he remember an uncle Rintaro?  
Soichiro lifted his chopsticks to his mouth, table going quiet.  
...Very quiet.  
They all peered, seeing closed eyes and a gently moving pacifier.  
Momma had won.  
She let out a small sigh of relief, joining the rest of them and picking up her own chopsticks.  
She felt eyes on her and glanced, catching the older man beside her.  
“...This is very good.” he muttered.  
She nodded in thanks, unable to verbalise due to the shock of an actual compliment from him.  
But once it sank in, she smirked again.

Later that night, a few hours after the grandparents had said their goodbyes, Susumu flopped to sit on the edge of the bed as he unbuttoned his shirt.  
“Welp. Day one of the year of the Horse was more successful than I had envisioned.” he said tiredly.  
Misaki chuckled as she rubbed lotion in to her hands.  
“It was nice, wasn't it? Felt a lot less formal than what we're used to. Nice change.”  
“Completely. How it's gonna be from now on.”  
That had been soooo much better than the estate.  
No stuffy, cold and fancy rooms for just fou- five of them.  
Of course he liked the estate. He'd grown up there.   
Was beautiful architecture.   
It just didn't have the same warm atmosphere as this place.  
The normal family feel.  
Just present with each other and looking forward to the future.  
Not having however many generations of ancestors watching you through painted portraits while sitting on your shoulders with heavy expectation.  
Misaki just nodded.  
They'd worry about that next year...  
“You know who did enjoy themselves though...?”  
“Hn?”  
“Your dad...”   
He looked over his shoulder and arched a brow at her.  
“Oh?”  
Where the hell did she get that impression from?  
If anything, he seemed a little off at one point. He was tempted to ask if he was feeling all right.  
“Mmhmm...” she smirked, “Caught him red handed playing peek-a-boo with Kai earlier. He was giving it his all. Have to say I never thought I'd see anything quite like it. I feel bad, I think I embarrassed him by witnessing it.”  
Susumu stared a moment. Trying hard to achieve the difficult task of picturing it.  
But then...there had been a time...  
He snapped his head back around and went back a bit more irately at his shirt buttons.  
“Oh sure. He'll be nice to him...”  
Misaki scoffed.  
“Don't be jealous of a baby.” she mocked playfully, “Besides, perhaps this is what will bring you two closer together. Maybe Kai will help mellow him out.”  
Susumu rolled his eyes. It wasn't jealousy. It was just he'd seen this all before.  
“Wishful thinking...just don't count on it. He might be like that with him now, but I would bet money that the moment he starts walking and talking, he'll have business cards made up for him. Start training him how to bow properly...”  
“Oh, stop.”  
“It's true! I'll have to beat him to the punch and put a blade in his hand before he gets there with his cards...” he chuckled.  
She opened her mouth to tell him to knock it off when said future CEO/Blader started to cry.  
She shifted to get off the bed.  
“It's okay, I'll go.” Susumu offered as he pulled himself up and shuffled out across the hall to the Kai's room, leaving Misaki to sink in to the mattress and relax after a hard day of hosting.

The loud wails continued as the light switch flicked on, showing white walls with pale blue and grey clouds and stars dotted around them.   
He leant over the crib and picked him, checking his diaper and realising that was the culprit.  
He got him changed and back in some warm PJ's, but still he was crying.  
That wasn't unusual for him though. He sure was a cuddly little guy.   
He lifted him to his shoulder and paced the room, bobbing his knees to bounce gently as he let him snuggle in and calm.  
Sure enough, as soon as the process began, Kai's head went on his shoulder on cue and rubbed the back of his eyes with the backs of his small hands, volume toning down instantly.  
“Hear you had fun with your grandpa today...” he cooed as he paced.  
“Just a heads up, if you want him to stay that way, don't grow up.”  
Kai made an odd noise. Like he was thinking about letting out a cry, but ran out of juice before he could.  
“Hn...” Susumu chuckled at it, “I know...easier said than done. But don't worry, I'll be there to protect you from him when you do...”  
The old man didn't scare him...  
There were going to be countless arguments and disputes ahead between them.  
But he would not allow Kai to go through the same bullshit he had.  
This poisonous cycle would end with him.


	3. Kai

Part Three -   
Kai  
January 1st, 2000.

The old man's heart sank beneath his crisp white shirt and fitted, tailed jacket as he glanced over his shoulder, finding large, pleading red eyes looking at him again.  
"The Chairman is indisposed at the moment..." he spoke in to the reciever, not daring to look back again at the pair of eyes he knew would be holding a pitiful display of disappointment.  
"Yes, I shall relay the message. Good day..."  
As he hung it back, he turned and faced the music for the second time today.  
Lo and behold, it was a face he hadn't wanted to see.  
"I'm sorry, Master Kai...that was for your Grandfather."  
The boy sunk even more and nodded at the butler, turning and walking back around the corner again.  
Back down the dark, quiet hall....  
He took himself back to the living room, where his mom and grandfather were.  
Neither of them looked at him as he came back in.  
One because he didn't want to allow himself to draw attention to it.  
One because she just couldn't bare it.

The decorative grandfather clock continued to tick loudly, both as a grateful break in the otherwise painful silence and a mocking reminder of just how quiet it was.

He followed his elders' lead and picked up his book again, curling his smaller body in to the plush red arm chair and opening it against his legs.  
All morning he'd been staring at the same page.   
He didn't really feel like reading.  
There wasn't much he really did feel like doing.  
But they were just reading. So...here he was.

He stared at the book, but instead of bothering to even feign reading, he counted the ticks to see how far he could go.  
One thousand, three hundred and seventy nine ticks later, the phone rang again.  
His heart spasmed, dropping his book, sliding off his seat and disappearing at the blink of an eye.

Misaki's eyes went over to her father-in-law before she could even stop himself.  
She caught his sigh of displeasure and felt her eyes burn while they watered.  
As usual, she bit her tongue and just...put her head back in the book.

Kai hurled himself around the corner, almost unable to keep balance as he came to a halt and stared at the back of the tailed jacket again.  
His heart slammed in his throat.  
Come on...third time was the charm, right?!

"I'm afraid the Chairman is indisposed at the moment..."

Or not...

Misaki fought with everything she had not to just leave the room as her son dragged his sad feet back in to the room. Go hide away by herself like she wanted to deep down.  
This was awful...  
But she wouldn't just abandon him today. Or ever for that matter.  
Her baby had endured enough of that already. They both had.  
She just couldn't bring herself to tell him it wasn't going to happen.

The oldest glanced at the two sorry sights again and shook his head slightly.  
Just stay quiet...  
Kai would figure out the call he was waiting for wasn't coming himself. He didn't need anyone else pitching in and making it worse.  
It did make him ache, though...

He was too young to properly understand what kind of a man his father really was.  
Though if he were honest with himself, even he didn't anymore...

Rebelious, stubborn, a fantasist. He always knew he was those things. So although things irked him it was never a total surprise.

But a coward, defector and traitor?  
Even he had been shocked...

The leader of an empire clearly wasn't a path easily walked for Susumu. That was clear.   
But...  
Being a husband and father had seemed something fair more suited to him.  
He always looked happy with Misaki, and in turn Misaki seemed happy with him.  
Was doing something right.  
And Kai...  
He'd worried when he was born about what kind of father Susumu would become. He'd always been so wishy-washy and immature.  
Not what one would immediately consider as quality traits in a parent.  
He'd been very pleasantly surprised...

Over the past decade, he'd seemed to blossom in to responsibility.  
...  
Goodness...a decade.  
Kai turned ten in August...how cruel time was to go by that quickly.

Little did any of them know at that little birthday dinner that a matter of weeks after, Susumu would turn his back and walk out on all of them.

But he digressed.

Susumu seemed to take to fatherhood far better than he had anticipated.   
Whenever he saw them as a family, he was always involved and kept a watchful eye as much as Misaki did.  
As Kai grew and learned to walk and talk, it became clear the bond was equal between mother and father, unlike most children he'd seen in his circle that clung to their mother and had little to do with the other.  
Coming out of infancy, it got even clearer that the lad doted on his father.  
As a son should.  
He did wish it wasn't that wretched game that he chose for their quality time...  
But until recently, it had just been a game.  
Harmless.

He had always disliked that stupid 'sport'. But never did he imagine it would be the straw that broke the camel's back.  
His eyes lifted just over his paper at the ten year old across the room, slowly sliding over to the woman to his left.  
Their eyes looked almost hallow.  
...How?  
How could you, as a man, as a person, so easily turn your back and walk out on them?  
Right in front of their very eyes as well.  
"Sorry Kai..." he'd said.  
He'd never seen anything so pathetic.  
And he'd never been more ashamed of him.

The poor boy. Even after being so blatently and cruelly tossed aside in favor of a game, he had still tried to run after him.  
He couldn't allow him to.  
Couldn't allow his son to hurt his own any more than he already had.

He would never forget how the room felt at that moment.

His wife stood and wept.  
His child was left speechless and unable process what was happening.  
And the years, decades of trying to to ensure he was secure in a position, had some success, was well and truly thrown back in his face.

It was the first and only time he was relieved that Yoshiko was no longer with them. To see her heart break over it.  
But then...perhaps if she were still here, the whole thing would never have come to be in the first place.  
Or perhaps it would have. He had given Susumu a choice and he'd made it.  
He shook himself. Those kind of thoughts were counter productive.  
It was pointless to wonder, she was gone and what had transpired had transpired.  
All he could do now was hold the rest of the family together.  
He swore to Misaki she had a place with him always. She'd never need to worry finances. Even if she did at some point remarry.  
She was still and always would be the mother of his grandson.  
But that was something to think about later on down the line.

For now, and for as long as he could persuade them to, they would stay with him at the estate.  
Misaki was sinking. Probably wasn't doing her any good to mope around the estate all day.  
She was to start coming to work with him come this new year. Help with small errands. A part time assistant, if you would.  
Just to get her out and give her something to occupy her.  
And as for Kai, despite always being quite a quiet boy, he too was clearly miserable.  
Of course.   
But at some point they all had to just get on with it.  
He had tried to be a good example in Kai's life thusfar anyway, naturally. Teach him a thing or two about proper manners and behaviour.  
He needed to rise higher and be the male figure in his life in place of his father.  
Give him security, consistency and guide him.  
That's what he needed.

Not some cowardly, weak, sorry excuse for a-

Riiiiinnnnggg  
Seeing Kai start to move yet again, he felt a flare of temper.  
That imbecile had destroyed his family.  
Broken every heart in the room.  
Why? What for?  
Why on earth would you abandon your wife who doted on you? Your child that idolised you?  
...Your father that wanted nothing but he best for you?  
All in favor of a plastic contraption that spun?  
And yet somehow, despite such an abbhorent rejection they all still clung to a flicker of hope.  
Well, that hope was getting them nowhere!  
All it was doing was rubbing salt in an already nasty wound!

"Sit down..."

The two other heads snapped up at the rough bark, the younger freezing with his body half way off the arm chair.

"Dad..." Misaki let out softly, quietly pleading.

He shot her a powerful look telling her to stay quiet before he took it back to his grandson.

"I will not have you charging around like an unruly hound every time the phone rings! Those calls will be for me from either the board or associates. You're not to bother Mr. Fredrick, do I make myself clear!?"

Kai sank in to himself at the sudden and gruff scolding.  
He never wanted to anger his grandfather. He was scary when he was mad...  
"But...Dad might call..." he started to explain himself quietly.

Soichiro slammed his paper down in to his lap, his vow to stay quiet out the window.  
"Listen here! He will not be calling. If he cared enough, he'd be here in person, but he isn't! You are only setting yourself up for disappointment. It's time we all accepted it, he left! You're better off without him!"

A throat clearing turned their attention to the very Mr. Fredrick, stood ever so professionally yet ever so awkwardly.

"My apologies, sir...Mr. Kokubun for you. Says it cannot wait..."

Soichiro sighed, taking his cane from where it rest against the arm of the chair to help him get up.  
"Understood..." he replied, getting himself stood.  
"Excuse me, won't you?" he dismissed his family as he left the room, cane hitting the ground hard as he went.

Misaki's glazed eyes stayed on her son, feeling powerless. Both sat still in silence and wretched sadness.  
She saw him suck the inside of his cheek, seeing him trying to swallow down a ten tonne weight.  
"Kai..."  
He started to move his eyes to her, but changed his mind half way.  
Instead, he slid himself off the armchair and ran out the room too.

Now she was in total lonely silence.  
And now the overwhelmed sob that had been bloating and hurting in her chest could finally be let out.

Over two months and it was all still unbareable.  
That day was so vivid it felt like it just happened.  
The fight between them had been ugly. She hated them both for doing it like that in front of Kai. Poor thing was frightened to the point he hid behind her.  
She'd cried when he announced his choice.  
But she'd thought it had just been to throw a huge middle finger at his dad.  
Hurtful still, but a heat of the moment thing. He hadn't meant it.  
She thought he'd go and cool off and then be home. Wait for the dust to settle and then smooth things over like they always did.

He didn't come home that night.  
Kai had been inconsolable.

She was mad at him then. No call, no nothing.  
But again, she figured he was just out somewhere sulking and making his point.  
Give it a few days. He'd be back. He could majorly grovel to her and Kai and they could make him sweat a while before they went back to normal.

By the end of the week she was at the estate with Kai, some stuff packed.  
The four walls of their house was too much.  
Both for her and Kai.  
Because as the hours and days went on, it became clear that he'd meant what he'd said.  
He'd chosen the game.

She had her axe to grind with Soichiro too. Like a dog with a bone for years it had been. He had his fair part in this.  
But for the first time since she'd known him, she could not excuse her husband. 

Soichiro had been good to her since, and of course to Kai.  
Reassured her she would never have to worry about having a home and security, not just for Kai but for herself.  
She appreciated it. He wasn't all bad.

Just...  
Susumu had been right. To some extent.  
About Kai.  
While he was a baby and a toddler, he was grandpa.   
He played, he laughed, he doted.  
When he got near the end of kindergarten and was heading towards elementary, he reeled it right back. Started talking to him and treating him older than his years.  
He became the more formal grandfather.

She wasn't entirely sure if that was because he considered Kai too old too play or if he just didn't have it in him himself.  
His knees started giving him real problems. Couldn't run around or play with him as much anymore any way.  
Fortunately, their little boy did seem to have a higher level of maturity. He did enjoy playing, coming home caked in mud and looking for bugs like most boys his age, but he also liked his solitude.   
He seemed to prefer the company of adults rather than other children.   
Which was perhaps why his grandfather didn't treat him so much like a child?  
Soichiro did like regailing him with stories though.  
And luckily, Kai absolutely loved stories.   
Especially his...

He was very close with Susumu, but he was grandpa's boy as well.  
She was just glad that until then, they both had the sense to keep their major snipping and bickering away from him.  
For the most part...

But that was also because until he was eight, his grandmother had been around.  
She would not allow him to get caught in the middle of their stupid quarrels.

They all had been devastated when she passed away.  
Susumu had been a wreck.  
Soichiro...  
He hid himself away. Wouldn't allow them to 'fuss over him'.  
He was back at his throne far too early, she thought. But everyone grieved in their own way.  
He was and would always be the stiff upper lip kind.  
Had always admired Winston Churchill, he said. For his leadership and flare for inspirational speeches to get his country through the dark period of World War Two.  
"If you're going through hell, keep going."

He reminded her of that quotation not long after she arrived with Kai.  
Well meant, she was sure.  
But far more easily said than done.

And anyway, had it really worked for him?  
He got out of bed every day, put on his suit, went to oversee the kingdom every day.  
But when he came home to this large, empty estate...  
Did he turn in to the sorrowful, lonely widower she feared?  
They learned quickly not to mention her in front of him.  
Not that he got angry or anything.  
But you could just tell it hurt him to do so and he wished you hadn't.  
It seemed his way to cope with her being gone was to act as if she never was.

She didn't like that personally. But, if it helped him face another day without her...

There had been a grace period of peace between father and son after that.  
An unspoken truce as it were.  
But once that was over...

Well, it culminated in this.

She appreciated everything he'd done for her since. Even the tough love talks to try and get her to rise over it at times when she really needed it.  
Lord knew at points she didn't want to. But she had to be strong for Kai.  
Having your heart ripped out made that too hard sometimes though. Which is when she welcomed it.  
But sometimes, there was just no need.  
She was allowed to be hurt and sad. Let herself grieve. As was Kai.  
He wasn't dead. But their marriage was and their family ruined.  
With no idea where he went or if he would ever come back, the hope and the dread was killing her.  
And apparently Kai too.  
She couldn't ignore any of that. Just sweep it under the carpet like he never existed.

And she could not stand by and watch Kai be talked to like that. 

When Soichiro walked back in to the room, he caught Misaki stood looking in to the fireplace, snapping her head and giving him a look he hadn't seen her give him before through the red tear streaks on her face.  
Angry and resentful.

"Where did Kai go?" he asked as he ignored the look and took himself back to the comfort of the chair.

She turned herself around, look growing ever sharper.  
"I imagine he's taken himself to his room..."  
"Hn." was all she got as he picked up his paper to resume the article he was reading before he was interrupted.  
Misaki finally saw red.  
Her feet marched her over to him, snatching the paper out his hands with a sharp crumple and tossing it away.  
"The hell is the matter with you!?"  
Soichiro startled at the raised and furious tone.  
She had never spoken to him that way.  
Very, very few had. But that was always his higher ups.  
His grandfather.  
His father.  
His wife...

"I beg your pardon?!"  
"You heard me!" she fired back, "How could you say those things to him!?"  
Her throat croaked as her eyes welled up again.  
He shook his head and huffed.  
"Oh, for goodness sake woman! Get a hold of yourself! You really think it's kind to him to encourage wishful thinking?"  
She shook. Both out of rage and just...everything.  
"He is a child..." she hissed in a low, rumbling growl, "Yes, he is mature for his age. Yes, he is quieter and more reserved than a lot of kids his age but that does not mean that he is handling this! That he isn't suffering horribly. That he doesn't need his family to reassure h-!"  
"Reassurance is one thing! Feeding his fantasy that that worm is going to call him is just cruel!"  
"You're absolutely right!!" she yelled at him, feeling her chest clench.  
She'd been guilty of that...  
She hadn't said anything, and that was just as bad.  
"But you keep pushing and pushing for us to just get on with it! To just accept it and move on! Keep calm and carry on! I'm not saying we should go along with it, but come on! Where the hell is your empathy?!"  
"Because life goes on!" he raised his voice back at her, "It's harsh but it's true! The world doesn't stop spinning because he walked out on you! Or for anything else!"  
She pressed her hands to her eyes.  
"I know! I know! So you keep saying! I get it, dad! We have to keep going. Give me the reality check if you think I need it, but stop expecting a ten year old to carry a weight that a fully grown adult can't!" she pleaded as she sniffed, "He doesn't need to be repremanded for hoping, he needs to be comforted and told that he's going to be okay even if he doesn't call because we aren't going anywhere!"  
He stayed quiet and gave her a stubborn shake of the head.  
She shook hers back at him in disbelief.  
"You know I never did get you. You're not an openly warm or sentimental man. But you never struck me as completely cold or heartless. Mom always said deep down you cared too..."  
She didn't care that he tensed this time.  
"And I believe you do. I don't think you're indifferent or that your intention is to hurt. But you do. Time and time again and it never changes...because if it isn't your way then its just wrong..."  
He stuttered for words, but she cut him off again.  
"That's why she was so good for you. Somehow she had figured out how to make you see things differently. And it looks like no one else has that power."  
She'd had enough. She was tired. And she wanted to go see Kai.  
"But I can tell you this for free, she would be absolutely disgusted with the way you spoke to your grandson."  
With that she left him, rendered speechless by the lecture.  
And an overhanging sense of guilt since she wasn't wrong...

With a knock on the door, Kai lifted his puffy eyes.  
"Kai? Sweety can I come in?"  
"I'm fine mom!" he called through.  
He didn't want to make her more sad...  
The door opened and she came in anyway, walking over and sitting herself on the edge of the bed.  
"...I'm sorry." she said softly as she gently pat his leg.  
Kai pulled himself to sit up next to her.  
"I'm fine." he repeated with a little more conviction.  
She sighed.  
Yep. Another Hiwatari.  
"I'm sure...But you know it's okay to be upset, right?"  
A gruff throat cleared in the doorway, as well as a cane settling on the floor.  
They both turned their red, puffy eyes to him.  
He stood a little sheepishly.  
"Would you mind if I had a word with him?" his deep voice requested.  
She eyed him before giving him a nod.  
She could use a moment to wash her face anyway...  
And if he had any sense, he would be apologising.  
As soon as she stood and left, Kai straightened himself up, putting his hands on his lap and eyes forward.  
He hadn't meant to cause any trouble...  
His grandfather eased himself slowly on to the edge of the bed with him, wondering what he should say.  
"I'm sorry..." Kai started for him.  
A grey brow went up.  
He was supposed to be apologising to the boy was he not?  
"I wasn't meaning to bother Mr. Fredrick...just...that one year when dad got stuck in Tokyo? He called...He loves New Year..."  
His voice wobbled along with his lip.  
Every year was great.  
They ate a lot. They all went to the shrine together and bought more yummy stuff on the way home. Usually somethin' hot cause it was always so cold out.  
Then they got right back under the kotatsu and played together with whatever he got given for Christmas.   
Last year it was a gameboy. They played it together for hours. If it was too hard for him to do, he passed it to his dad.  
Together they were unstoppable.   
His dad also made him his own special beyblade the past years. They went down to his workshop in the basement to try them out and have a Hiwatari tournament together.  
But he didn't want to think about that...  
"So I just thought...since he's probably taking the day off from beyblades, he might call us."  
Soichiro tensed up even more as he saw a droplet fall on the boy's pant leg.  
He hated this...  
Didn't want to see him hurting.  
"I can understand that. Forgive me for speaking to you so harshly."  
Kai snapped his eyes up.  
Hn?  
Soichiro's eyes were drawn down to the big, confused ones.  
"I wasn't angry with you as such. Moreso at your father..."  
He wasn't sure where to go from there in all honesty. He doubted a slew of insults about his father were productive.  
Misaki was right, this was usually the area Yoshiko would flourish. Know exactly the right thing to say.  
As it always tended to, the merciful numbness of her absence on a daily basis was compensated by deep feelings of loss and grief in moments like this when he wished for nothing more than for her to be there...  
"It's really not easy missing someone, is it?"  
Kai lifted his teary eyes to him again and slowly shook his head.  
"No, sir..." his voice wobbled hard again.   
He was mad at his dad.  
Furious in fact.  
Hated him even.  
Did he really love beyblades more than him?  
What had he done to make him not want to stay with him and mom?  
But on the other hand, he missed him so much it hurt.  
It was way worse than that time he slammed his hand in the car door.  
So much more painful than the time he sprained his wrist.  
It just didn't make any sense, and the more he thought about it and tried to think of things that had gone wrong, the less he found.  
Dad worked a lot. But they always had dinner together if he could help it. Asked him what he'd done at school that day and stuff.   
Always helped him with his homework if he needed it.  
Weekends if they didn't have boring grown up stuff to do, he would spend some time down in his workshop, but always asked if he wanted to come hang out with him. Try out his new creations.  
He was amazing. He didn't care what top of the range stuff was in the stores.  
His dad made the most incredible blades on the planet.   
But it wasn't just blading they did together. 

Grandpa bought him a baseball bat and stuff once. He loved baseball and wanted to see if he'd like it too.  
He'd taught dad when he was a kid too. So if it was nice outside sometimes he'd pitch for him in the back yard.  
Or sometimes if it was cold or bad out, they'd even go to the batting cages and get a McDonalds after! Just the two of them!

He'd pointed out a huge lego castle when he was being dragged along to the boring grown up stuff.   
A week or so later, his dad came home with it, just as excited as he was.  
They spent an hour or so every evening working on it. Took them forever.   
But it had been really fun. And now he had an awesome castle in his bedroom that they built themselves.

So...it wasn't like all they ever did was beyblade stuff.   
They did way more fun stuff together than just beyblade.  
So why...?  
Why did beyblades win?  
...Why did he leave?  
The overwhelming hurt crashed over him as he asked himself the same devastating question yet again leading to the same consuming feeling.  
"I w-ant him to come home!"  
Soichiro pressed his eyes shut, haunted by the sounds that came out of him following that sentence.  
He'd heard him cry plenty of times in his life, but now he was older it was far more rare and quieter.  
A sting too sore on a scraped knee or something.   
But this...this was raw.  
He was indeed just a child.  
The only problem was, he had no idea how to comfort one like he was supposed to.  
He never really even did that with Susumu. Again, Yoshiko's department.  
He plied his eyes open, looking down at the boy pushing his fists hard in to his pouring eyes to try and stop them.  
His hand gently reached over, placing it on his heaving back.  
"All right...it's all right..." he tried his best to soothe.  
Hearing tears travel through the open door, Misaki appeared seconds later and made a bee line for the other side of him on the bed.  
Her hands instantly went to wrap round the other side of his back and to brush through his hair.  
"Oh sweety, it's okay..."  
The sobs flowed heavily out of him, even as he felt himself get cacooned on either side, automatically leaning in to his mother.  
His mom held and comforted like she always did, and it helped.  
But his grandfather's hand running up and down his back was not something he was overly familiar with.  
It made it much better...  
Misaki's fingers kept raking gently through his hair, letting him get it out his system a little while longer.  
"I know this is awful...We all miss him. But we still have each other, don't we?" she passed to Soichiro for reinforcement.  
His hand rubbed a little harder.  
"Of course. Always." his deep voice affirmed.  
He didn't respond, but after a few more sobs, the intensity of Kai's meltdown began to ease, simmering down to sniveling and hiccuping.  
Misaki grabbed the tissue box for him to clean up his face, which made him calm a little more still.  
He stabbed it in to his eyes, catching his breath some and wiping his face.  
"Do you th-ink h-he misses us?" he asked as he gulped his remaining sniffles, lifting his now pillar box red eyes to them.  
Soichiro sank, seeing her sink too.  
She probably was wondering the same thing.  
How could he answer that?  
Answering no would be cruel and probably untrue.  
And answering yes set up the impossible question;  
If he missed them, why didn't he come home?  
And that he had no answer for.  
"I'm sure..." he settled on, wanting to lift some of the burden from her.  
"But your mother is right. What counts here and now is that we have each other. It is the first day of a brand new year. The year of the mighty dragon." he said, giving him a slight shake in an attempt to be playful.   
"There are plenty wonderful things in store..." he tried.  
Misaki took over.  
He was trying. And clearly stuck.  
"That's right. No matter what, we're going to be here for each other. Through both the bad and the good. We'll be okay if we do that."  
Kai nodded his head, feeling a tiny bit better.  
It wasn't a magic wave of the hands to bring him back, but he loved them both too. If he didn't have them, that would be really bad.  
"Yeh..."  
Soichiro pat his back.  
"Good lad..."  
A few moments of quiet later, Misaki checked her watch.  
"Oh dad, it's almost time for the New Years game." she announced, grateful for a distraction.  
Perhaps the three of them could pull together and salvage an enjoyable day?  
Kai turned his head to his grandfather, who turned his head to him.  
"Ahhh that's right. Year of the Dragon kicking off with the Bey City Dragons!" he let out with a slightly more excited tone than usual.  
He watched it every New Year's day without fail.  
"Would you like to join me?" he invited.  
"Mm." Kai nodded.  
He liked watching baseball with him. The sport was okay. Little long and boring sometimes.  
But when things were good, he prefered watching his grandpa.  
...Never saw him get so animated any other time. Was funny.  
One time he even heard him say a swear. Grandma got really mad at him.  
He smirked a little at the memory.  
Being with him was fun too. Even if it was different to his dad.

***   
Later that night, when the first day of the year was coming to an end, Kai closed the door to his bedroom, teeth brushed and fresh pyjamas on.  
He climbed on to his bed, grabbing the book he'd failed to read earlier while he waited for his mom to come say goodnight.  
That hadn't been as bad...  
The Bey City Dragons won the game, so grandpa was super happy. It had been close a few times though.  
He yelled at the TV. Was great.  
Mom suggested they make hand roll sushi. That was fun, and shrimp was his favorite.  
They didn't really do much after that. Just got comfy on the sofa and watched the New Year specials, the comedy acts and so on.  
He'd not really done that with grandpa before. He only ever saw him watch baseball or the news.  
It was nice just doing that.   
It was warm and cosy.  
He knew it wouldn't be an everyday thing, but that was fine. He had work and he had school himself. But maybe living here with him wouldn't be so bad after all.  
Besides, like grandpa had said when he walked out.  
He was a loser, a traitor...  
Turning his back on the family...  
Real Hiwatari's didn't do that...

The door opened.  
"Kai? You ready for bed?"  
"Yes." he answered, setting his book down as she peered round the door.  
She stepped in, doing her maternal check.  
Yep. Properly dressed warmly and in bed.  
"Did you brush your teeth?"  
"Yep."  
"Properly?"  
"Yeessss..." he whined.  
She smirked at his tone.  
And knew she was about to make it worse.  
She took herself over to his side.  
"All right, I'll believe you. Good night sweety..." she bid as she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.  
Like clockwork, he rubbed his cheek roughly with the back of his hand.  
"Mooommmm...."  
She snorted.  
He could resist and complain all he wanted.  
He was her baby.  
"Love you." she added as she stood herself upright to go.  
His glare weakened.  
He had to do his part to take care of her too.  
"Love you too..."   
Watching her leave and close the door, Kai waited until he couldn't hear the footsteps again before the covers threw back and his feet slipped back on to the floor.

He took himself to his backpack of stuff he'd brought from their house, unzipping and rummaging through it.  
He knew he shouldn't have brought it here really.  
It's not like he had any intention of blading in front of grandpa.  
Even if he could, he wasn't even sure if he wanted to anymore.  
But...he just couldn't stand leaving it behind...  
The lamp on his side table gave enough light to inspect the blue and red blade.  
A birthday present.  
It was one of a kind.  
State of the art...  
His pride and joy, he'd said...  
His chest stirred again, both with hurt and raging green jealousy.  
...He was supposed to be his pride and joy...

At the time, he'd been thrilled to get it.  
Like every time his dad made a brilliant new creation, he gifted it to him.  
He felt honored.  
He thought he was the luckiest kid in the world.  
But he slowly was realising, he was the stupidest...

They weren't presents.  
They were his replacements.   
Each time making something better and more worth his time.

Well...if that's how it was...

He sniffed angrily as his vision blurred, eyes and spine feeling hot.  
He set it on the floor, stomping to grab his old baseball bat that lived on the two hooks on the wall.

...Then to hell with him. He was better and stronger than this stupid thing.  
He got on his knees and lifted the bat.  
Grandpa was right.  
They didn't need him!

He held his breath, bringing it down with everything he had.  
As hate driven as he was, he winced at the crunching crack.  
He hadn't even realised he'd closed his eyes.

Peeling them open, he lifted the bat and took in the mangled competition.  
That felt better...  
...Didn't it?  
Still felt like a loss rather than a win.

"Kai?"

Uh oh...  
He dropped the bat, quickly taking himself to his door to open it and peer out.  
"Sorry. Fell out the bed." he scrambled.  
His mom stopped in the hallway and gave him a look.  
Explained the thud.  
"Oh...you okay?"  
"Yeh..."  
"Right well...be careful?"  
That was a first...  
"I will. Night."  
"Night."

He closed the door on her, grateful for the speedy conversation since he felt like that bat had smacked him just as hard back in the chest.  
He leaned his back against the door, sliding to sit himself down and brought his knees up, hugging them.  
He stared at the corpse of the blade, a few pieces laying beside it and found his watering eyes glaring hard, doing their best to make it combust.

He felt himself chew on the inside of his lip as his nose exhaled with a shudder.  
He hated this...  
It didn't matter if he had a nice day with them.  
At some point or another, it came up and made him feel like this again. Like one of those stupid sports mascots in a dumb costume showing up and parading it around his head.  
Only this one didn't entertain or pep up.  
It tore him up inside.  
Made him worried, sad, hurt and angry.  
Right now in particular, the mascot wore red.

He knew he wouldn't feel his butt for a month if anyone heard him. But he didn't care.  
That broken blade on the floor had it coming. So did he, but this was as close as he was going to get.

His glowering eyes burned at it as they streamed.

"...Fuck you.."

He sniffled more and wiped his angry eyes with his sleeve again.  
Sure, the blades he made were state of the art.  
But a fancy blade was useless without an exceptional player behind it.  
And he was only getting better and better at it.

He'd show him which was better...  
Which was worth more...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this short story! 
> 
> Wishing you a Happy Year of the Ox! Take care and stay healthy!

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! Happy holidays! :)


End file.
